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US to provide another $123 mn to Syrian opposition
April 21, 2013, 1:44 pm

Syria [AP]

Syria [AP]

US secretary of state John Kerry announced in Istanbul on Saturday that his country would provide another $123 million in non-lethal assistance to the Syrian opposition.

The package is expected to include for the first time armored vehicles, body armor, night vision goggles and other defensive military supplies.

Kerry emphasized that the “Friends of Syria” and the Syrian National Coalition share the same view that there should be a peaceful transition.

This would bring Washington’s total aid to the Syrian opposition to $250 million till now.

Kerry announced the figure at a press conference shortly after the meeting in Istanbul of 11 foreign ministers from Western and Arab countries.

Foreign supporters, he added, have all agreed to let the rebel Supreme Military Command (SMC) handle their aid and assistance.

The SMC is an opposition military force operating under the umbrella group of the Syrian National Coalition (SNC).

Since the Syrian crisis started 2 years ago, more than 70,000 people have been killed and over 1.3 million Syrians have become refugees.

 

With inputs from Agencies